Inert gas shielded magnetic field controlled electric arc metal working process and apparatus



Ja 1 1 J. L. CURTIN ET AL 2,666,122

HIELDED MAGNETIC FIELD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC A METAL WORKING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l INERT GA Filed Oct. 27, 1950 Dire action of Travel by I INVENTORS work JOHN L. CURTIN DONALD M.YENN| 12 BY ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1954 J L CURTIN ET AL 2,666,122

INERT GAS SHIELDED MA GNETIC FIELD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC ARC METAL WORKING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed 0ct. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42' Magnet 56 n! l N Mh w 58 A S 52 1 INVENTORS JOHN L.CURT|N DONALD M. YENNI BY A'II'TORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1954 INERT GAS SHIELDED MAGNETIC FIELD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC ARC METAL WORKING PROCESS AND APPARATUS John L. Curtin, Kenmore, and Donald M. Yenni,

Williamsville, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application October 27, 1950, Serial No. 192,482

10 Claims.

This invention relates to metal working with an electric arc energized by current flowing through a circuit which includes the work and. an electrode, and more particularly such metal working in which the electrode and the work are protected from oxidation by a stream of monatomic gas flowing around the arc.

It has been generally found possible to weld stainless steel at higher speeds with helium without producing undercutting than has been the case with argon. However, there is a distinctly greater tendency toward weld orosity with helium unless extremely pure helium is used. Prior to the invention it was possible to produce smooth butt welds showing good penetration on eighteen-gauge sheet at speeds up to fifty inches per minute in helium, while argon welds made at such speed showed serious undercutting.

In an attempt to overcome such difficulties, a trial using an electromagnet consisting of a current carrying solenoid surrounding the welding electrode did not yield improved surface, or increase welding speed.

Prior to the present invention it was also proposed to use a gas cup comprising an annular soft iron pole piece, a ring magnet, an aluminum ferrule, and a plastic connector. The ring magnet created a magnetic field similar to that produced by the solenoid located parallel and coaxial with the electrode. Measured at the electrode tip, the vertical component of the magnetic field was 160 gausses, the horizontal component was negligible. The field associated with the cup did not exert directional control of the arc, but changed the shape and potential gradient in the arc. Weld bead tests showed that no improvement in surface quality or welding speed was obtained with such cup on thin stainless steel.

It also has been proposed to use a relatively large magnet having pole pieces located on opposite sides of the gas cup, but the induced magnetic field from the arc current caused demagnetization of the permanent magnet by opposing its natural field. Furthermore, it was dimcult to use such device between clamps and in other confined spaces. Also results were erratic and unpredictable.

The main object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved process of Working metal with an arc shielded from the atmosphere in a stream of monatomic gas, especially argon. Another important object is to increase the speed of welding metal including stainless steel. A further object is to provide improved apparatus for this purpose. Additional objects are to reduce the cost, increase the usefulness, and advance the art of monatomic gas shielded arc welding and cutting. Other objects will appear from the following description.

Broadly, according to the invention there is provided a process of working metal which comprises establishing a metal fusing electric are between the work and either a fusible or a refractory-metal electrode by flowing current through such electrode and the work. A stream of inert gas is discharged from a cup surrounding the electrode so that such gas flows around such electrode and arc, and over the adjacent work metal. The are is directed with the transverse component of an auxiliary magnetic field derived from a source of flux, such as a permanent magnet, incorporated in or with the nozzle of such cup; and such work and the electrode are relatively moved along the line to be worked, thereby progressively fusing the work metal along such line. The strength of said field is such, with respect to the current flowing in the arc, that the arc is kept focussed on the work along such line at a substantially constant acute angle of lead or lag, whereby the speed of such relative movement is substantially increased over the prior art without adversely affecting the quality of the resulting product. Such angle of lead or lag is the angle between a line tangent to the arc (the tangent at the midpoint for a curved arc) and the center line of the electrode lying in a plane containing the electrode and the path of movement of the electrode with respect to the Work.

A remarkable increase is attained in the maximum speed of welding thin stainless steel with helium as well as with argon shielding by the use of such auxiliary magnetic field. The magnetic field, for example, increases the maximum welding speed of 0.050-inch thick stainless steel with D, C. straight polarity (electrode negative) from 30 to inches per minute with argon shielding, and from 50 to inches per minute with helium shielding.

One of the most noticeable results of the ma..-

netic field of the invention is its influence on are position. Optimum welding results and thermal efficiency in butt welding are produced with the auxiliary magnetic field when the arc is focussed forwardly in the direction of weld travel at a lead angle of about 45 degrees to the work, without any lateral deviation to right or left of the welding line.

A marked increase in the speed of are cutting metal sheet, and cuts of improved quality are also secured by the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view mainly in side elevation of a machine welding set-up illustrating the invention, parts of the apparatus being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the torch shown in Fig. l; r

Fig. 2a is a similar view of a modification (oval cup);

Fig. 3' is an enlarged diagram illustrating the flux field of Fig. 2 using D. C..-S. P. and looking upwardly from the bottom of the torch;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a cup modification in which the magnet is adjustable;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cup shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is another modification of the cup; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the latter.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a machine welding torch I is mounted above work l2 for movement along a line to be welded. The torch comprises a gas cup or nozzle [4 of novel construction surrounding a refractory metal (tungsten) electrode It. The electrode is, of course, composed of fusible metal for metal-arc welding. The interior of the cup is radially spaced from the electrode to provide an annular passage l8 through which a stream of inert gas is discharged, protecting the heated parts of the electrode and work, as well as the are 20, from the atmosphere. The work and the electrode are connected in a conventional arc-welding current supply circuit (not shown), which is well known to those skilled in the art.

The body of the cup I! is first made of suitable material such as drawn copper and a semi-circular end portion thereof is removed. This provides a suitable recess for securing a similarly shaped permanent horseshoe magnet 22 composed of a magnetized high-permeability alloy, which is silver-soldered in place to the body of the cup. A novel magnetic gas cup results which is interchangeable with conventional gas cups. The cup is preferably mounted on the torch I0 so that the magnet 22 is in a leading position with respect to the direction of travel of the torch during the welding of the work I2. This avoids demagnetization by the induced field from the arc current, permits use of a somewhat smaller magnet, and facilitates arc adjustment during operation. The leading magnet position the entire torch. As shown in Figs. 4-7, however, lg

cups 24 and 26 are constructed to facilitate adjustment of the arc deviation or angular posit on independently of the torch position. One (Figs. 4 and comprises a relatively large, removable,

semi-cylindrical magnet 28 held in place by magnetic attraction to a soft iron ring 30 fastened near the top of the gas cup 24 (composed of copper) and creating the desired field at the arc position with downwardly and inwardly inclined steel pole pieces 32, 32, which are welded (silver-soldered) to the poles of such magnet. The ring 30 likewise is welded to the cup at the junction of the nozzle 34 with the shoulder 35. While such construction locates the magnet away from the heated zone (thereby increasing its life), and permits instant rotary adjustment or removal of the magnet unit if desired, the magnetic field is more easily influenced by surrounding magnetic objects than that from the small magnet built in the gas cup, as shown in Fig. 1.

The other modification, Figs. 6 and 7, comprises a small semi-cylindrical horseshoe magnet 38 welded (silver-soldered) to the nozzle 40 near the cup tip, and makes use of a seat and retaining nut 42 to permit rotary adjustment of the entire cup 26 including the magnet in the torch. Hand tightness of the retaining nut 42 is sufilcient to prevent argon or helium gas leaks and to secure satisfactory heat transfer with well-machined parts.

The influence of the magnetic field on the arc can be predicted from the familiar electrical engineering "motor rule relating the directions of magnetic field, arc current and force acting on the arc. The are deflection agrees with the prediction based on measurements of the field resulting from the auxiliary magnet, and the selfinduced field from the welding current. This field is a vector sum of the individual fields modi fied by external magnetic influences such as iron clamps or rollers (which are likely to have little effect if a magnet sufficiently close to the welding zone is used). The important component of the magnetic field is that projected on a plane parallel with the workpiece, i. e., horizontal in normal welding. The other components have little significance and wide variations in them have little effect on the arc direction.

A plot of the resultant magnetic field associated with butt welding 16 gauge stainless steel at 60 inches per minute with 290 amperes, is shown in Fig. 3 The field induced by the welding current has the shape of concentric circlessurrounding the arc. Direction of the resultant magnetic flux lines is indicated and the length of the arrow is proportional to the horizontal component of the field intensity in that plane. Actual measurements of the magnetic field from the auxiliary magnet were plotted and superpositioned on the field from the current to obtain a resultant field showing fairly good agreement with the measured resultant field. By utilizing the motor rule or the cross product of the current and field vectors, the final position of the arc can be approximated.

A study was made of the effect of magneticallydefiected arcs in argon on the quantity of heat received by stainless steel workpieces and on the geometry of the resulting weld bead cross-sections as a function of the angle of inclination of the arc. The auxiliary magnetic field intensity of the electrode tip (produced by a small symmetrically-positioned horseshoe magnet) was varied from 5 to 110 gausses by changing the vertical distance between the plane of the magnet and the work surface. It was thus possible to secure calorimetric and weld bead contour measurements at are deflections ranging from a positive angle of approximately degrees are lead to a negative angle of approximately degrees are lag using 200'a'mperes, D- C.-S. P., are cur rent. The indicated angles of inclination were those observed in the plane containing the electrode axis and the center line of the Weld bead.

6 thick stainless steel. The results of such work; summarized below, show that the use of an auxiliary magnetic field caused a 50 to 60 percent increase in maximum speed, and that the maxi- As viewed in the direction of travel the arc was 5 mum speed with helium shielding exceeded that maintained along the electrode axis normal to obtained with argon shielding by about 30 percent. the work surface. The welding torch was held fixed while the work passed beneath the -inch Ma em field diameter electrode at a speed of about 114 inches Nmmalweldmg v v lding per minute, using an argon flow rate of 7.1 liters Shielding zgg lgf per-minute. gas I.P.1Vl amps. Under- Grown Under- Crown The data presented below summarize the re- 5312 inches f if inches sults of measurements obtained at seven different arc angles including that characteristic of 20 360 M04 M00 0001 M06 normal behavior without magnetic control. It is A p 30 0 0.020 0.024 0.005 0.005 apparent that the amount of heat received by the $535}; 8; 8: 3; 8: work and the arc efficiency factors reached a maximum when Suitable magnetic field was 1 Shielding gas flow rates were 7 liters per minute for argon and 14 used to effect a leading angle of about 45 degrees litflefipqrmitmllteiorhelimgllf fi m t th 1 t d between are and W Ork- 2043013331818; componen o magne 10 e a e ecc to e 1p was size; M as iii??? tiiif? sat, at, mclmauon gausses voltage watts Wat 3%; fig gj inches inches None 12. s 2, 560 1, 980 77 0. 0012 3. 2 0. 020 0. 11

Most of the welding tests were made as beads The magnetic field intensity required for weldrather than butt joints to avoid difiiculties a'ssoing 0.050 inch thick stainless steel is considerably ciated with irregularities in spacing and clamp- 40 stronger than that used on the 3 5-11101). steel, being ing. It has been shown in the past that results 100 and 20 gausses at the electrode tip, respecobtained in this manner are indicative of pertively. The lower welding speed used on the 1%- formance on actual Welds on t materialsinch material may be at least partially responsible Furthermore, actual butt welds were made as a for the reduction required in the auxiliary magfinal check, netic field strength.

A remarkable mDIO in Welding Speed Fortunately, the attainment of marked imwas attained on 0.050 inch thick stainless steel pyovement in elding peed does not, require presheet by the invention. Results are summarized cise adjustment of magnetic field trength or n the data tabulated below. and Show that an orientation. It was found that fields varying in increase in maximum speed by a factor of about strength of the horizontal component at the elecfour Was attained as Well trode between to gausses were almost as with argon Shielding Comparable results for equally effective on 0.050 inch thick stainless steel. equal c power and equal are current are also Nevertheless, it is apparent that changes must indicated in the table. In this Wor itsbe made in magnetic strength to achieve satisfacdiameter tungsten electrode was used for to 55 tory results at widely varying welding speeds on ampeires 1/8 inch electrode for 340 amperes materials of various thicknesses. While sulfiand Tee-mob electrode for 460 amperes cient data were not obtained to permit tabulation Au Welds were completely penetrated and of the most desirable magnetic field for different played acceptably small undercut, low center and felt that two or three high crown not exceeding 0.003 inch. 0 We f con t 1 1s 5 cups with horizontal components of neld strength varying from 20 to 100 gausses at the electrode Au ry W Am Arc tip should take care of most down-hand Welding 51323; hgl sp e d, 1221?, 8 m? Remarks requirements on stainless steel.

gausses 5 The effectiveness of magnetic arc control in increasing the maximum acceptable welding figlit irli E 21??? 118 titiifi ttiti tli speed with argon shielding suggested its use in improving cutting performance; the cutting ac- Argon... 100 425* 5,050 Do. U Helium- 100 190 400 0, 900 I L mited by sens1t1vtion being secured by rotating the auxillary mag- DO 100 340 5,050? gg q ggg- 7 net approximately 180 degrees from the position 130.- 100 425+- 0,300 Equ l employed 1n welding. A number of tests showed that a definite improvement in cutting perform- 1HorizontalcomponentOfauxiliarymagnefic field as measured ance and increased cutting speed could be atthe elecmdenp' 75 tained on -inch material with an auxiliary field A second series of Welds were made on 'a g-infih I of roughly 60 gausses producing one smooth edge acumen and one rough edge. The smooth edge can be predetermined. Typical results are shown below:

The influence of auxiliary magnetic fields was also studied briefly on copper, Everdur, and steel. The results indicated that the invention increased the speed and reduced undercut in welding such metals with both helium and argon as the shielding gas.

It has also been found that a field such as has been described improves the performance of inert gas shielded arc welding using a consumable metal electrode. polarity welding of mild steel with an argon shielded, steel electrode increased the bead width and decreased undesirably sharp intersections of the bead with the base metal. In such case the polarity of the magnet was reversed compared to straight polarity welding.

While round cups have been shown, an oval cup 44, Fig. 2a, may be used without departing from the invention. In some cases oval cups are even preferred, because they have the added advantages of good gas shielding and the cup is not damaged by the lagging or leading arc.

Features disclosed herein are claimed in our divisional application Serial No. 352,152, filed April 30, 1953.

We claim:

1. Process of working metal which comprises establishing a metal fusing electric are between the work and a metal electrode by flowing current through such electrode and the work, dis-1 charging from a cup surrounding the electrode a stream of gas around such electrode and arc, and, over the adjacent work metal, directin such are with a transversely balanced component of a magnetic field derived from a semiannular source of flux incorporated with such cup, and relatively moving such work and the electrode along a line to be worked, thereby progressively fusing the work metal along such line with such arc, the I strength and direction of said transverse maga netic field component being such with respect to the current flowing in such arc that the arc is kept focussed on the work along such line at a substantially constant acute angle, whereby the speed of the operation is substantially increased.

2. Process as defined by claim 1 in which the shielding gas is a noble gas of the class consisting of argon and helium; the arc welding current is direct-current, straight-polarity; the work is stainless steel; and the source of flux is apermanent magnet.

3. Process of welding metal which comprises;

For example, direct current-reverse line, the strength of said field being suchwlth respect to the current flowing in such are that the arc is kept focussed on the work along such line at a substantially constant acute angle of lead, whereby the speed of the welding operation is substantially increased.

4. Process of cutting metal which comprises establishing a metal fusing electric arc between the work and a refractory-metal electrode by flowing current through such electrode and the work, discharging from a cup surrounding the electrode a stream of .monatomic gas around such electrode and arc, and over the adjacent work metal, directing such are with a transversely balanced magnetic field derived from a permanent horseshoe magnet mounted on the nozzle of such cup, and relatively moving such work and the electrode along a line to be out, thereby progressivelyifusing the work metal along such line, the strength of said field being such with respect to the current flowing in such are that the arc is kept focussed on the work along such line at a substantially constant acute angle of lag, whereby the speed of the cutting operation is substantially increased.

5. Apparatus for lineally fusing work composed of metal with an electric are which comprises, in combination, means including a metal electrode and acircuit for establishing a metal fusing electric arc between the work and said metal electrode by flowing current through such electrode and the work, means including a cup surrounding the electrode for discharging a stream of shielding gas around such electrode and are, and over the adjacent work metal, means focusing such are including means for producing a transversely balanced component of a magnetic field derived from a semi-annular source of flux incorporated with such cup, the strength and direction of said transverse magnetic field component being such with respect to the current flowing in such are that the arc is kept focused lel to a line to be fused, thereby progressively fusing the work metal along such line with such arc.

6. The invention as defined by claim 5, in

which shielding gas is anoble gas of the classconsisting of argon and helium; the arc welding current is direct-current, straight-polarity; the work is stainless steel; and thesource of flux is a ,semi-cylindrical permanent magnet the poles of which are located on opposite sides of the cup.

7. In the art of lineally welding work by fusing such work progressively along the line to be welded with an electric are which is shielded by a stream of gas selected from the class consisting of argon and helium, which welding is limited by undesirable undercutting of the weld when the welding speed exceeds a certain relatively low value due to the use of such shielding gas stream, the improvement which comprises focusing the are at an acute angle of lead of about 45 with respect to a line which is perpendicular to the surface of the work at the point of fusion and also shielding such arc from the adverse effects of iron and steel along the path of the arc in welding, with a relatively small horseshoe magnet located about said electrode, which has the effect of substantially increasing the welding speed without undesirably affecting the resuiting weld.

8. Process of lineally welding Work, which comprises striking an are between one end of an elongated refractory metal electrode and the work to be welded, magnetically focusing such are at a leading angle of about 45 with the surface of such work in the direction of the line to be welded, with a relatively small horseshoe magnet loacted about said electrode, relatively moving the electrode and work along such line, fusing the work with such are, keeping such are so focused with said horseshoe magnet during such realtive movement, and continuously shielding such end of said electrode and such are and the adjacent Work with a stream of shielding gas selected from the class consisting of argon and helium, said horseshoe magnet effectively shielding the are from the adverse effects of magnetic material adjacent the path of movement of the are as such welding operation progresses, and at the same time maintaining the are focused at such leading angle without any lateral deviation of such arc, whereby the welding speed is substantially increased under such stream of shielding gas without impairing the resulting weld.

9. Process of working metal as defined by claim 1, in which the fused metal of the work is removed along said line by focusing the arc rearwardly of the direction of relative movement of the electrode transversely with respect to the work, at an included angle of lag of to 90 between a line tangent to such arc and the projected center line of said electrode lying in a plane containing the electrode and the path of movement thereof with respect to the work.

10. Process of working metal as defined by claim 1, in which the fused metal of the work is welded along said line by focusing the arc forwardly of the direction of relative movement of the electrode transversely with respect to the work, at an included angle of lead of 5 to between a line tangent to such are and the pro- ,iected center line of said electrode lying in a plane containing the electrode and the path of movement thereof With respect to the work. JOHN L. CURTIN. DONALD M. YENNI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,309,696 Roberts et a1 July 15, 1919 1,580,020 Cutler et al. Apr. 6, 1926 1,740,381 Weed Dec. 17, 1929 1,787,600 Strobel Jan. 6, 1931 1,921,572 Kinnard Aug. 8, 1933 1,947,077 Chapman Feb. 13, 1934 2,152,194 Jones Mar. 28, 1939 2,314,628 Pavlecka Mar. 23, 1943 2,360,160 Pickhaver Oct. 10, 1944 2,475,183 Gibson July 5, 1949 

